Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-10-16

should think nOW, continued
Pollux, "that it would not be unseemly
to knock at the door and to inquire If
Mr.. Smith lives here? That would
tell us who the charmer is, at all
events"
Capital Let us enter forthwith" 4"
But when the two young men
knocked and rang the bell, they be-
came aware, to their surprise, of a
great commotion within. There
was noise of chain being put across
the door, a hurrying OF feet, and a
clatter of firearms, and above all the
din the poodle barked furiously.
/. "Officers !' some one cried in an
angry voice. "On no account let
them in"
A window above the porch was
now thrown up, and an elderly man
with very long face and very white
whiskers desired the young men to be
gone. a
inquired Pollux, with his best bow,
and most courteous manner.
"No, sir, he does not. This is a
lunatic asylum, and 1 am mad
doctor. If you value your liberty you
will be gone. No one is allowed to
enter here, and especially no-faugh
soldiers"
lis the young lady a patient we
just saw go in?" asked Castor, sur
prised.
eyes, sir, she is. Mad as halter.
Homicidal mania. Don't you ever
attempt to speak to her, or she may
cut your throat. Carries a carving
knife in her muff. Here, John, show
neutrality-suspicious. out"
The window went down with a
bang, and a tall footman, coming
round from the rear of the house,
politely escorted the officers to the
gate.
81 say, John," quote Pollux, twid-
ding sovereign between the. fingers
of his lavender kids, "who's that old
bloke, eh ?"
John regarded the gold attentively
with one eye. That's. Mr.. Landon,
hisself. Horful rich, but vulgar. He's
made his money in trade, you see, SO
you must excuse him."
"And the girl, John; what about
the young lady?" asked Castor ex-
citedly.
That's our daughter, a namiable
but 'aughty young 'ooman. No fol-
lowers allowed" said John signif-
cantly. Especially the milingtary.
"But why, John, why?"
Cant say, sir, Pm sure. l only
state facks. Now, sir, l must go back.
If Mr.. Landon was to see me, I'd lose
my place. Thank you, sir. thank
you; very sorry, but must lock the
gate,' which he did.
And they were locked out on the
dusty road forthwith.
As Castor pensively turned home
wards he saw something white, like a
handkerchief, wave from a top win
dow. His spirits rose with bound.
and, singular enough, he never men,
toned the circumstance to his dear
friend Pollux.
All if he had but known that this
was only frisky freak of Miss Wizard,
the duenna, into whose head there
suddenly Came phantasy of dis
tressed damsel in a turret, and of two
young knights attempting her rescue.
The circumstance, however, was
enough to fan the spark-the bolt
from the blue-in Castor's bosom to a
fame, while, as for his friend, he
walked on, wrapt in contemplation OF
Johns allusion to Mr.. Landon' s
wealth and "wulgarity."
Next day, and next day, and the
ho tx.-r, fr,a,,1a cf,ol1oI lou,,, -
Marine Villa, and smoked many
cigars on the little pier, but to no pur-
pose. No one came out of the little
green gate, and no one went in never.
theless they enjoyed a beautiful view
OF the drawing-room windows.
cts not satisfying, ysu KNOW
said Castor, "but it is better than
nothing, seeing where she is"
81 tell you what, my dear fellow
said Pollux; "this can't go on nohow
l must have money, for the duns are
all down on me in shoals, and my
respected progenitor is in the same
fix as myself, since all his tenants
down at Castle Pollux refuse to pay
him the 'rint. ,"
"Hang your filthy lucre! l only
want her eyes,"
"It strikes me, my child, that you
are very far gone. But sitting here
smoking won't do us much good in
the way OF either optics or rupees.
The question is, how to get in"
81 am sure she is kind-hearted, i"
said Castor. "See how she hugged
that poodle-lucky dog!"
"Come! That's good" cried Pollux.
"Happy thought; let us test it."
"How?"
"This way, sonny. You tumble
into the water here, off this pier, and
l will plunge in and rescue you. Man
overheard! Great sensation, YOU
know. Gallant conduct! Carried into
the drawing-room by John. Smelling.
bottles, brandy; put to bed! Bless
you, my children, 100000 down, and
G20, 900 more after my death Old
man now, and can't live long! Upon
my word, it's glorious" cried PolluX
enthusiastically.
Except for one thing" returned
his friend, sarcastically; "that yor
might drown here and be blessed, fol
any one that would see you from the
house."
"Now, my dear child, you are the
variest tyro ever met. AS if have
not seen the charmer peeping at III
through the lace curtains at the center
window this half hour past. Looking
at me, remember, not you, my boy
"By Jove!" starting up, "you dom
say so! Where ?"
''There! You've gone and done i
now! She's scuttled off like IA mouse
That comes OF wearing an eye-glass-
you can't see."
81 can see that you have arranged
this plot very nicely for yourself, my
dear Pollux. am to fall in, and tt
be the duffer that gets drowned
while you are to be the hero, the
brave preserver, and SO forth-no
thank you"
"But think of the pity corpse ex.
cites, and the brandy and water, and
that blue-eyed charmer putting hot